Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu ✨ (2026)

This is NOT the way.

Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu is one of the most uninspired Star Wars movies I’ve ever seen.

There was literally no reason for this to be a movie. This could’ve just been season four of the series. Neither Mandalorian nor Grogu grows in any meaningful way throughout the story. It could’ve been something as simple as Grogu speaking his first words or putting on the Mandalorian helmet in battle, maybe have Mando reflecting on flashbacks from his childhood as he continues his journey of fatherhood.

Instead, we got exactly what has always turned me off from this series: a “mission-of-the-week,” video game-style adventure, with no real stakes or emotional weight.

Mind you, The Mandalorian & Grogu looked incredible. The set design and character work were picture-perfect, and Ludwig Göransson delivered what might genuinely be my favorite score of 2026. But what a waste to have all of that talent poured into something this hollow.

This basically felt like a Jabba the Hutt heir-to-the-throne story masquerading as a The Mandalorian & Grogu movie.Funny enough, there was once a crime-boss-focused Star Wars project in active development that Guillermo del Toro was reportedly attached to before it got scrapped. This honestly feels like a retooled version of that concept. And sure, that premise could have been interesting. But the movie goes with the safest, most watered-down version imaginable—like a diluted ‘80s Saturday morning cartoon stretched across a blockbuster runtime. Maybe that works for kids or newcomers, but for me, this completely missed the mark.

Also, to everyone constantly complaining about the lack of puppetry in Star Wars…enough already, because this Baby Yoda stuff is just not working.

Make him CGI and let’s move on. I understand people love cute characters, but every time I see his stiff, action-figure-looking body trying to move around in the same space as everyone else, it completely takes me out of the movie. It honestly feels like he’s had little to no growth, aside from realizing he’s capable of using the Force. In this story, we’re seeing the limitations of the Lone Wolf and Cub archetype, especially since there’s no real battle or war for them to trek through.

But shoutout Babu Frik’s Anzellan brethren. Those guys always crack me up.

I should note that I’ve never been particularly big on this series to begin with, and this only reinforces my opinion that it offers little more than middling plots with a few cameos sprinkled in. And I know some people will say, “Well, what about Solo?” At least Solo attempted to visualize an exciting (on paper) canonical story, even if it too felt like nostalgia bait. But honestly, that’s exactly what The Mandalorian has always been: repackaged versions of characters (Boba Fett, Yoda, now Jabba the Hutt…) audiences already know and love, reskinned and inserted into the thinnest possible plots.

What makes this especially disappointing is that Star Wars finally felt like it had momentum again after the phenomenal, ten-out-of-ten Maul: Shadow Lord series. That project reminded me how rich, emotional, and creatively fearless this universe can be.

Then this comes along and drags everything right back into the same creatively bankrupt space that defined the sequel trilogy era.

With that being said: Star Wars animation continues to cook, while Star Wars live action continues to fizzle. 

Enjoy!

4/10 🍿 🎥

Runtime: 2hrs12mins

Where: Now Playing In Theatres

The Richmond Reviewer Star Wars The Mandalorian and Grogu Review - May 22nd, 2026.

#Film #Movie #StarWars #Jedi #Review